How do you pick the reality shows you watch?

It's funny how some people get really into some shows and not others. For example, why do some people not realize that American Idol is over? I got bored with the show once they were down to about five people and I can't possibly see not being bored with reading and posting about the show after it's been off for 2 1/2 weeks. Yet, there are much better shows on the air like Fame and The Amazing Race, but they continue to obsess about shows that are over. I was wondering if AI fans simply watch American Idol or if they watch other reality shows.

It seems like some people just watch shows and like specific contestants because others do. To be perfectly honest, the talent, production, or staging of American Idol were not that spectacular, so I was just wondering why people watch it.

I am just wondering exactly what reality shows you watch/have watched in the past and if you could rank them and explain why you like them and how you found out about/got interested in them...

Reality Shows I watch(ed) in order of preference:

1. Big Brother (a variety of factors as to who continues/wins - also access to the Live Feed enables people to see everything going on in the house and not just what the network wants you to see and how they want you to perceive people)
2. The Amazing Race (so many twists and turns and less predictability in who wins/moves on)
3. Survivor (classic format)
4. Fame (so far, so good - talent and variety)
5. American Idol (talent and voting)
6. All American Girl (only watched because one of my friends was a contestant - Natalie)

I will check out most reality shows (except dating shows) if I have time for the first episode and see how I like them.

Yeah, we're friends from undergrad (Northwestern University). She lived in my hall sophomore year and she had an apartment with two of my closest friends last year. We're not good friends, but I saw her all the time before I graduated last year and we had lots of mutual friends. She's a lot nicer and more intelligent than the show made her out to be.

I don't watch "romance" shows. I abhor shows where there is more than a 1:1 ratio of men:women in a dating environment. So, I watch TAR, Survivor, a little bit of BB, and I watched AI this season although I'm not really into talent shows either.

I like adventure shows that are more about the competition than interpersonal relationships (though I do enjoy that aspect too, but I like the focus of the show and the person/s that have to leave/are voted out to be because of performance, not popularity)

Once a show is over, I'm pretty much done talking about it after 2 or 3 weeks, tops. Well, except for Combat Missions. That's my obsession. The show has been off the air for more than a year, and I can still talk about it.